When Manchester United qualified for the semi-finals of the 2015/16 FA Cup, they were squeezed to fifth place in the league table by Manchester City.

Manchester United are playing the FA Cup this weekend, but that doesn't mean the league is suspended. Admittedly, there are still five Premier League games that have been postponed due to their FA Cup plays, but there are still five Premier League games going on as normal.

Manchester City opened the Premier League game in the first game of the Premier League, although they were held to a draw away from Norwich, but they still rose one point to 51 points, thus occupying fourth place in the table.

When Manchester United and West Ham United were fighting for the FA Cup semi-finals, Tottenham Hotspur defeated vice-captain Aston Villa 2:0 cleanly away, kicking the former Premier League giants into the relegation abyss, while also raising their points to 58 points, narrowing the points gap with the top Leicester City to 2 points, and also opening up the points gap with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

However, Leicester City have been consistent enough this season, winning 1-0 at home to Newcastle in the late Premier League fixture, which starts on Monday night.

Don't look at the score of just 1:0, but in fact, Newcastle basically didn't get any chances.

After this game, Leicester City once again cemented their position at the top of the table, while former Premier League powerhouse Newcastle continued to be deep in the relegation zone.

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As the weekend passes, Europe's biggest powers will be back in Europe.

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the Champions League teams were the first to face their opponents. Manchester City take on Dynamo Kyiv at the Etihad. In the end, Manchester City drew 0:0 with Dynamo Kyiv at home, eliminated the opponent 3:1 over two legs, and entered the last eight of the Champions League for the first time in history.

However, City also paid a heavy price for this, with defensive stalwart and captain Vincent Kompany and Otamendi both returning injured, and the defence was hit hard.

In another Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night, the Gunners were defeated 1-3 at the Camp Nou, and were eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals with a huge score of 1:5.

Coupled with Manchester United and Chelsea, who have been out of the competition before, in the Champions League, there is only Manchester City left in the Premier League.

While the Champions League giants are battling it out, Manchester United are preparing for the second leg of the Europa League final on Thursday night.

Although United have a 3-2 lead on the road, that doesn't mean they are resting on their laurels.

At the weekend, Manchester United and West Ham United played 90 minutes in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and although the intensity of the game was much reduced due to Rashford's big four, it still took a lot of energy.

Liverpool, on the other hand, did not reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, while their Premier League rivals Chelsea played in the FA Cup, so they were rested for the weekend.

In other words, Liverpool have a full week to prepare for the second leg, while Manchester United have less than four days. Liverpool have a clear advantage in terms of rest time and stamina.

After repeated analysis, Van Gaal made a judgment that the person who was in a hurry should be Liverpool. Don't want to be eliminated, this game, Liverpool must press out to attack.

So, what should Manchester United do? Is it against Liverpool? Or is it a defensive counterattack?

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In the end, Van Gaal decided to choose a more secure tactic at home, focusing on defensive counterattacks. Because, if it is an attack, once a goal is scored by the Liverpudlians, then the situation will be grim, which means that the Liverpudlians can equalize with one more goal, which will have a subtle impact on the psychology of the players on both sides.

Van Gaal's decision was supported by the coaching staff. They are already half foot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, and it is right to hold on to some of them.

This season, Manchester United is under a lot of pressure to secure a Champions League place through the league, Leicester City at the top of the table is too stable, while Tottenham Hotspur in second place is fighting on a single line, with all aspects dominant, and it will be difficult to compete to win them.

There are two remaining opponents, one is Manchester City, the city's rival who has grown in strength in recent years, and in recent seasons, the opponent who has been called a noisy neighbor by the old man has left a painful memory for Manchester United; The other is Arsenal, known as the crazy demon for the fourth, everyone knows that Arsenal can't afford to fight for the fourth, plus they have been out of the FA Cup, and they are also out of the Champions League soon, the next eight rounds of the league, they will focus on the league, will explode the power of terror.

Therefore, these two opponents are a little unprovoked.

Maintaining the momentum of continuing to move forward in the Europa League is also a possibility to secure a Champions League place.

In the end, Van Gaal decided that in the second game with Liverpool, Rashford would be left alone in the front, and then stationed at the back, first solid defense, and then counterattack when he had the opportunity.

In this way, as long as Liverpool does not score in the first half, then Liverpool will be more impatient in the second half, and Manchester United will be closer to promotion.

The tactics were established, and in the next two or three days, Manchester United's training has been mainly defensive, and the attack has mainly practiced various counter-attacking routines, and the problem that Mata, Martial, Lingard and other attackers have to solve is how to quickly advance to the front court in the counterattack and pass the football to Rashford's feet (overhead).

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From Wednesday daytime, the day before Liverpool left for Manchester, an English reporter seemed to be trying to embarrass Klopp, speaking out and asking: "The home team has conceded three goals, the team is in a serious situation to qualify, may I ask Mr. Klopp, did you think that it would be more difficult away from home, such as being beaten twice?" ”

Klopp took a deep look at the press card on the reporter's chest, remembered the face and the media he was in, and then said solemnly: "I admit that the game will be difficult, but we have three more days of rest than our opponents, and we have a clear physical advantage." So I'm confident in progression, and the players are confident in that. ”

This afternoon, Liverpool did not continue training, and Klopp called a meeting of his coaching staff to discuss the tactics and details to be aware of against Manchester United.

After the meeting, all members of the Liverpool team checked into the hotel to recharge their batteries for tomorrow's Europa League match.

Like Manchester United before them, they didn't arrive in Manchester a day early. The two cities are too close to each other, an hour's drive, there is no need for this, and it is much more convenient to stay in your own territory.

After checking into the hotel, the whole Liverpool team, including Klopp, refused all media interviews, appearing extremely low-key and silent.